Keyblade Wielders
by James Young
Summary: Xehanort was always someone who wanted to see the Keyblade War. However, on his way to discovering how to achieve such a thing, he affected the lives of not just Ventus, but of the lives of Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki. With two new Keyblade Masters finding themselves in the mix, how does this affect Xehanort's plans for the Keyblade War and to find a new vessel...


Keyblade Wielders

The Start of Everything

* * *

There was always a story of a greater power that made one think of the possibilities that could be unlocked, despite how much they wanted to deny it. Curiosity could cause more damage than simply knowing the result. It was just human nature to be curious. The nature of a human being was to gain more power, simply because they either wanted to be stronger physically, or financially.

Kingdom Hearts was what had unlimited power.

Many people had tried and failed to get to Kingdom Hearts, most simply too blind to see past their own greed to see what needed to be done. Others, fearing what might be behind the door to Kingdom Hearts, made a way to stop others from getting the power, believing that it would once again cause chaos and bring destruction to their way.

There was a weapon called the χ-blade that was said to be the protector of Kingdom Hearts.

This also led to wars, lust for power, greed, fear, anger, rage. So many things brought up ideas of how to use the χ-blade and how to unlock Kingdom Hearts. Why people gained ideas such as these was simply due to human nature, it couldn't be helped that people gained beliefs, desires, fears, unfortunately enough, humans just couldn't understand each other and would simply wage war merely because of beliefs. The mere idea of Kingdom Hearts brought countless deaths.

These people use weapons known as Keyblades.

People from the sides of both Light and Darkness wages war for power, the desire to protect others and many other things, however, it always beliefs that caused the wars to continue, it was a never ending procedure, despite everything that people said. There was always a reason for difference of opinions. It was just how far that people took them that really mattered in the end of the day.

The resting ground known as the Keyblade Graveyard was a sign of what the Keyblade Wielders could do when hell-bent on war, Light and Darkness were merely considered a tag a long time ago.

Now it was something more.

* * *

In a world, known as the Land of Departure, two newly named Keyblade Masters, who were considered the best of friends, brothers even, were having a discussion, an argument if anything else from the sound of things, on a matter of opinions.

"Wait, Xehanort." One of the men requested, he had black hair that was tied into a short hightail topknot with one bang falling off to the right side of his face and had grey eyes. He was known as Eraqus. "There is a reason the precepts bar us from such knowledge. Why do you seek the χ-blade? Would you blanket all the worlds in darkness, reduce them to nothing!?"

"But darkness did cover the world once, in legend." The other man, Xehanort replied, he was old, bald and had a grey goatee. He gave the impression of a frail old man. "We know so little about the Keyblade War – only that it was just the beginning. Amidst that crisis a precious light was found. It is a curious tale – and one worth exploring. They say ruin brings about creation. So what, then, would another Keyblade War bring?" Xehanort raised his hands in the air for a moment, before folding them behind his back. "When the darkness falls, will we be found worthy of the precious light the legend speaks of? I must have these answers. The χ-blade needs to be forged, and with it, the door to the Keyblade War unlocked!" Xehanort explained what he felt needed to be done.

"Fool... you will risk an apocalypse out of sheer curiosity?" Eraqus asked in disbelief that his friend would even dare think of such a thing. "I will never allow it, Xehanort. Not while I live!" Eraqus declared.

"But once again you have it all wrong, Eraqus." Xehanort announced his belief. "Darkness is a beginning, you see, not an end. At birth, every one of us emerges from darkness into a world of light, do we not?" Xehanort questioned, turning to face his friend.

"Poetic excuses!" Eraqus snapped, much to the disappointment of Xehanort, who turned away from Eraqus and started walking away. "If words won't dissuade you, only one thing will." Eraqus summoned his Keyblade, before charging at the user of Darkness, roaring a battle cry as he did so. Xehanort turned towards Eraqus with an amused expression, before summoning his Keyblade, the aura of darkness around him. Suddenly he fired off two beams of darkness, which caught Eraqus across the face, bringing him to his knees. Xehanort walked towards Eraqus with his Keyblade in hand, almost looking like he was about to end his friend's life, only for Eraqus to look towards him with a look of disbelief. "That power... Has the darkness taken you, Xehanort?" His face suffering due to the flickers of darkness that lingered on his face, but he didn't appear to be in pain.

"Not your concern." Xehanort merely turned away, almost dismissing his friend as he did so, watching away for his friend, ignoring the damage that had been done to their friendship as a result of the argument. It was at that moment, that Eraqus lost consciousness.

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 1**

_Much time has passed since I left the home of my youth behind, and in the myriad worlds I have since visited, I have gained much knowledge. On these pages, I intend to record a portion of that knowledge, and put the course of my life to paper._

_Upon reflection, my life underwent the most considerable sea-change when I arrived at that place. Yes, it began when I found a Master, and another I would later call my brother—when I found a new home._

_Then there was the Keyblade. For what purpose was it begotten, and by whom? During my training as one of its wielders, the precepts offered a clear answer: the Keyblade existed so that we who watched over the light could protect the world from the shadows._

_But was that the TRUE answer? Could there not be more to it than that? My heart sought knowledge, and so I sometimes visited other worlds—though such travel was forbidden unless duty required—and found what my heart sought._

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 2**

_Our Master instructed us to don armour while travelling between worlds, so that we might shield ourselves from the darkness. But there, in the Lanes Between, I could feel the force of it—the power—and from then on, I forwent my armour's "protection." I had been told the darkness would devour me, but what terrors could it possibly hold, so long as I found the strength to control it?_

_The World is vast—and the worlds within the greater World, uncountable. Like little islands, they dot a great Ocean Between which keeps them ignorant of each other, uncorrupted._

_Each world had its own order. Unlike us, they could not know of the World in its entirety, and we were never to enlighten them._

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 3**

_In ancient times, no such buffers kept the larger World divided; there were no walls of light enclosing each smaller world the way they do today. Nothing prevented one from physically interfering with the next._

_At that time, the World was filled with light, and a great many Keyblade wielders. But without buffers, the worlds began to squabble over ownership of the light. You see, they learned of the Keyblade's true use. War broke out as each of the Keyblade wielders struggled to lay claim to an almighty entity known as Kingdom Hearts._

_Kingdom Hearts could be described as an aggregate of hearts. Worlds, too, have hearts, just like people; each world's heart is concealed from sight, beyond a hidden door. By gathering all the hearts of all the worlds in a single place, one may complete Kingdom Hearts._

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 4**

_And when Kingdom Hearts is complete, it is said the one who opens its door will bring about the creation of the Next World. Such a feat is above any human. Or, to put it a different way: whoever opens that door will be reborn as something far greater than human._

_Light and darkness are two sides of the same coin; without darkness, there is no light. The Keyblade wielders' great war over Kingdom Hearts was fought by defenders of the light, servants of darkness, those who sought to reconcile the two, and those motivated by nothing more than lust for power. A whole spectrum of thought was swept into the conflict, and the worlds that did not go to war found the war brought to them. In the end, the whole World was cast into darkness._

_That was how the ancient Keyblade War drew to a close. To this day, no one has ever managed to open the door to Kingdom Hearts._

_Sometime later, the little light that remained in the hearts of the few gave rise to the World we know today: one made of many worlds behind just as many walls, so that the Keyblade War would not be repeated._

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 5**

_At present, the lanes and corridors that run between the worlds may only be traversed by us Keyblade wielders, and those who have given themselves over to darkness._

_As the former, our duty is to cross the chasms between worlds and guard against the latter, whose darkness corrupts and contaminates, so that no world need ever be lost again._

_Few Keyblade wielders remain now; I have heard of but a handful of others outside my circle. But the World is vast, and more of our kind may be out there._

_Now, in addition to the realm of light in which we reside, there is also a realm of darkness, and the realm between which connects the two. The realm of darkness is most forbidden; I am told none who set foot there have ever returned._

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 6**

_There are three families of Keyblades: the Keyblades of light we wield, Keyblades of darkness, and Keyblades of heart._

_The first and second families differ only in origin; Keyblades of darkness are found in the realm of darkness, and are counterparts to the Keyblades we use in the realm of light._

_The third type of key, the Keyblade of heart, came into existence when the World was reorganized after the Keyblade War. Without this key, Kingdom Hearts is forever beyond a person's reach. Only by gathering together seven hearts of pure light—hearts completely devoid of darkness—may one forge a Keyblade of heart and open the door to Kingdom Hearts._

_And, as stated before, opening this door arguably gives that person control over all worlds and all people._

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 7**

_I have uncovered the Keyblade's ultimate mystery. You see, besides the three families of Keyblades, there is another "Key Blade." While it may sound the same when spoken, it is notated uniquely: "χ-blade." And make no mistake, while it resembles a normal Keyblade, it is something altogether different._

_Keyblades are said to be man-made counterparts to Kingdom Hearts. The χ-blade, however, coexists with Kingdom Hearts._

_It is only forged when two hearts of equal power intersect—one heart of pure darkness, one heart of pure light. At the time of its forging, Kingdom Hearts appears. It must be noted, though, that this Kingdom Hearts is special. Unlike the Kingdoms brought about forcibly and artificially through the collection of hearts, THIS Kingdom Hearts is a perfect and complete union of ALL the worlds' hearts. Surely it was over this that the ancient Keyblade War was fought._

_If so, the walls that divide the worlds today are of little consequence. With the χ-blade, all their hearts could be instantly reunited—and the Keyblade War, refought._

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 8**

_My brother pupil Eraqus thinks only in absolutes. He has persuaded himself that light is the only way, but forgets that light cannot exist without shadow. I believe a balance of light and darkness is what sustains our World, but too much of the darkness has been stamped out, disrupting that balance. Someone must tear down this tyranny of light and reorganize the World around the darkness which then creeps back in._

_Eraqus and I did not see eye to eye. I left, and wandered the World. This was perhaps the first time I felt truly free since that day I departed my boyhood home. But free to do what? I had already shown the Mark and become a Keyblade Master—but having been passed over as Successor, all that remained to me was the road of teacher._

_Ordinarily, Keyblade Masters take pupils under their wings, malleable minds in which to impress the precepts of the Keyblade wielder and keep our profession alive for generations to come. Was my time drawing to an end, then, after all I had accomplished since casting away the place of my birth? Surely waiting for a quiet death would not do, not when there was still so much I needed to see for myself. Powers help me, I thought, my body is so old..._

* * *

There were many things that Xehanort had believed when he had entered this new world, one of these would be that killing seemed to be a regular occurrence in this world. The world where ninja constantly killed for money and to keep their home villages afloat financially, something that the old Keyblade Master had come to respect.

Still, it seemed that even most of them feared darkness, believing it to be too easily corruptive, that if one was to taste the fruit that came from the darkness, than they would be easily lose themselves to the bitterness of evil.

Fools, they could not see what using the darkness could do.

From the whispers that he had heard in this world, he wasn't the only person who took people on as vessels apparently, another man, Orochimaru, who wanted to live on, did the same as well, much to the Keyblade Master's amusement.

Still, he could sense darkness that was practically oozing, waiting to be let out. He followed his senses until he finally found a boy that appeared to be who he was looking for. The boy was currently punching and kicking a wooden post furiously, anger fuelling his attacks.

Xehanort could feel the anger and rage coming off the boy with ease, so approached him. The boy paused, before turning to Xehanort, with a look of annoyance in his eyes.

"What do you want?" The boy asked rudely, not really caring for what the old man had to say. "You're interrupting my training, if you have nothing important to say, then leave me be, I have no interest in stopping myself from getting stronger for an old fool like you."

"Indeed, you do need to get stronger." Xehanort decided to entertain him for a moment. "But the way you are trying to do it, is wrong."

"What did you say?" The boy snarled angrily, his onyx eyes narrowed dangerously. Xehanort was merely amused.

"To become stronger, one does not just need to improve themselves with punches and kicks. They need far more than that." Xehanort's golden eyes shined as he said this. "They need to use the power of darkness! You need to use the anger and rage within you boy to grow stronger, only through your anger and rage, will your darkness grow. Embrace the darkness within you, and only then will you be strong!"

"Shut up!" The boy shouted, before going through some hand seals. A few moments afterward, the boy unleashed a giant boy of fire directed at Xehanort. The old merely raised his hand and caught the fireball easily, before crushing it, extinguishing it easily. The boy looked shocked.

"Tell me boy, what is your name?" Xehanort asked, summoning his Keyblade in a flash of darkness. The boy looked at the Keyblade in wonder, almost analysing Xehanort.

"It's Sasuke, Sasuke Uchiha."

It hadn't taken long for Xehanort to convince the boy to become his pupil.

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 9**

_Fate has strange ways of throwing up situations it seems._

_When I had met Sasuke for the first time, I could sense the darkness pouring off of him, seeking to break free from its prison, begging to be used. I found the reason why._

_His family had been murdered, slaughtered in what could only be called a massacre, the Uchiha Massacre they call it in this place, Konoha. The massacre had been done by his older brother, Itachi. I offered to take the boy on as my pupil, allowing him to unlock his darkness, which in turn would allow him to kill Itachi. The boy eagerly agreed, desperate to get vengeance on his older brother for what he had done._

_The boy wasn't the only one that I had eyes for._

* * *

Xehanort looked at the boy from a distance, watching as he ignored the whispers of hatred directed towards him. The boy in question had blond hair and bright blue eyes, along with what appeared to be three pairs of whisker marks on his cheeks.

Xehanort knew that the boy was called Naruto Uzumaki.

It was simple to know if you came to Konoha really, especially if you could read the lips of the civilians as they muttered about their hatred under their breaths.

Xehanort took in whether or not he believed that the boy was going to be easily taken to the darkness, but despite everything, it didn't appear that it would ever happen. Despite everything that seemed to be shoved onto the boy, the hatred and the unknown burden, he wanted to gain their respect and become their leader. It was clear that Naruto wasn't going to give up anytime soon.

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 10**

_The boy had a darkness within him, that was not his own. It was clear to me that his potential was unlimited, that was before that I found out that he had a demon sealed inside of him, though it appeared that a lot of the people who were merely civilians in the eyes of the ninja of Konoha, didn't understand that this meant that the boy was merely the container of the demon, not the demon itself._

_Through the whispers through the threads of darkness, I found out that his name was Naruto, and that the former leader of the village, the 4__th__ Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had given up his life to seal the demon into the boy. The demon, known as the Kyuubi had attacked the village unprovoked, and was taken down by their leader through means unexplained._

_There were too many factors that had been left unexplained, the story itself merely left so much out that it was just begging for someone to dig into even more, to try and find out the real truth of the attack._

_So I did._

_I found out that the wife of the 4__th__ Hokage, Kushina Uzumaki had been the previous host of the Kyuubi, but giving birth to Naruto would weaken the seal, therefore make it easier for the Kyuubi to break free. Someone in a mask, who had a special eye called the Sharingan had pulled out the Kyuubi of Kushina and taken control of the demon, before summoning the demon inside of Konoha itself. Minato and Kushina had both taken down Kyuubi, even if only Minato had been seen taking on the demon inside the village and teleporting it outside of the village._

_The use of the Sharingan had led to the mistrust of the Uchiha clan, which had led to them planning a coup d'etat. This ultimately had led Itachi to being forced to murder the clan to prevent a civil war._

_Sasuke had been mentally scared by this event and will now use the darkness freely without really needing to be pushed, because it will help him towards his revenge._

* * *

Neo-Shadows, a breed of Heartless swarmed around the area in a circle, surrounding a boy. He had bright blue eyes, golden blond spiky hair, this was Ventus, wielding the Wayward Wind Keyblade, which was known to be best suited for those that were good with wind attacks.

Ventus looked around anxiously, fearing what was going to happen to him in this battle.

"Please don't do this, Master. I'm not strong enough." Ventus pleaded with teacher, Xehanort, who was watching what was happening with his other student, Sasuke.

"No. It is because you are trying to hold it in. Let the dark impulses waken in the pit of your heart. Release them, here and now! Sharpen your fear into rage." Xehanort demanded eagerly, as more Neo-Shadow Heartless come to the area. "You must! If you do not let the storm within you run its course, it will wipe you from the face of the world, make no mistake! Do it. Embrace the darkness. Produce for your Master the χ-blade!" Xehanort declared dramatically. Sasuke looked at the old Keyblade master in annoyance, wondering why he felt the need to be dramatic. Suddenly, one of the Heartless attacked, causing Ventus to cry in fear before the attack connected, knocking him unconscious.

"How disappointing," Xehanort sighed before both he and Sasuke jumped down from their position. Sasuke didn't look like he actually care about what was going on, but activated his Sharingan anyway, looking at his fellow apprentice in distain. Normally he wouldn't have cared too much, but this was a weapon that could help him defeat Itachi! There was no chance that he could turn down an opportunity like this. Xehanort looked down at Ventus in disapproval.

"Really? You would rather die than use the power? Feckless Neophyte." Xehanort used his foot to roll Ventus onto his back. "If I must... I will extract the darkness from with you myself." Xehanort summoned his Keyblade. "Sasuke, take note, this is how you extract a heart from someone's body."

"Of course, Master." Sasuke's uttered gleefully, another weapon that he could use for his disposal, and all because Ventus refused to use the darkness, what else could he ask for? Xehanort pointed his Keyblade down towards Ventus, before suddenly it shined brightly, shooting a beam at Ventus' chest. The boy awoke with a start when the beam hit him, causing a glowing ball containing a heart to rise into the air. However, it was suddenly consumed by a ball of darkness, and when it disappeared, it revealed the body of a boy the same age as Ventus. He wore a black and red organic-looking bodysuit and was also wearing a silver helmet covered with dark glass, hiding his face from view. Sasuke took note that when the bright light disappeared from Ventus' body, his eyes lost their shine. It was almost as if he was suddenly dead. The dark boy finally touched the ground.

"Empty creature from Ventus riven... to you, the name Vanitas shall be given." Xehanort declared.

"Yes, Master." The newly named Vanitas uttered. Sasuke frowned, not too sure if he liked the latest developments.

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 11**

_We Keyblade Masters have a special gift. We can extract a heart, be it our own or that of another. By continuing this cycle, it is possible to remain in the world of the living forever._

_As a boy, I dreamed of seeing the farthest reaches of the World. If I only went far enough, there had to be a world out there in which no one had ever before set foot. And now I know of just such a world. If I become the first to open Kingdom Hearts' door, I can create a Next World in which light and darkness exist in perfect equilibrium._

_So there I stood, with vast knowledge in one gnarled, dying hand, and newfound purpose in the other. The next step was clear: I needed a new vessel. Unfortunately Sasuke was not right to be my vessel. He was too stubborn, was too strong in will to take over. So I needed to find someone else._

_And that was when I met Ventus and made him my second pupil. We were destined to meet, and I could sense the potential within him, but the boy was too benign for his own good. I came to the conclusion he was too frail to serve as a vessel, and decided to use him for a second purpose I had in mind._

_I would remove the darkness from his heart and split him in two. Then I would have my heart of pure light, and my heart of pure darkness._

* * *

Sasuke frowned, wondering if he had heard correctly.

"So, because Ventus is dying, you are taking him to your home world, Destiny Islands?" Sasuke asked his Master, who frowned.

"I didn't think that I needed to repeat myself Sasuke, especially not to you of all people." Xehanort told him.

"It's just, I didn't think you cared about Ventus that much, and that you were disappointed with how he turned out." Sasuke confessed.

"I don't, but if he is to perish, I want him to do so peacefully." Xehanort confessed to his first pupil, who turned to Vanitas, who had his helmet off. He was currently just a humanoid creature similar to a Heartless, but with red eyes.

"I see." But Sasuke didn't want to see, he just didn't want to find himself feeling sympathy towards Vanitas, but he did. It was clear that he was suffering, for another creature, filled with negative feelings was born, known as an Unversed. Vanitas just killed it, causing himself pain and more negative feelings, which in turn caused more Unversed to be born.

Vanitas lived such a miserable existence.

* * *

Destiny Islands was a quiet world, where hardly any real activity actually happened, that was how Xehanort viewed his home world. So dressed in a black coat, he was carrying Ventus' comatose body in a white blanket, onto a small island, that had been connected by a small bridge.

"There, you see? An empty world, like a prison. I imagine you'll be right at home." Xehanort told his pupil as he placed him on a Paopu Tree. Ventus, whose eyes had been open for the whole ideal, finally closed.

* * *

"Hey, where am I?" A voice that didn't speak, yet, it was a voice that Ventus could still hear either way.

"Who's there?" Ventus asked, before a bright light started to shine in the midst of the darkness. Suddenly, Ventus was falling into water, just falling, falling, falling. The white blanket that had been covering him disappointed, leaving him shirtless. He opened his eyes, flipping so he would land on his feet, on a bright white pillar.

"I'm a brand new heart." The silent voice answered, much to Ventus' confusion.

"But this is–" Ventus paused. "Why are you in my heart?"

"The light brought me. I saw it shining in the distance... and followed it here." The silent voice gave Ventus the answer he wanted to hear.

"Yeah, that was my light." Ventus held a hand over his chest, as he looked down at the platform that was his heart. It was missing a piece of it, almost a quarter of it. "But my heart is fractured. And now... the little I have left is slipping away."

"Then you should join your heart with mine." The silent voice made a suggestion.

"Huh?" This caught Ventus off guard, not sure what the silent voice had meant with its suggestion. Suddenly, Ventus' heart started shining and before he knew it, his heart had become fixed.

"Now our hearts have touched. Nothing else will slip away. And one day... you'll be strong enough to win back the part that already did." The silent voice of the newborn heart told Ventus.

"Right. Thanks."

"It's time to wake up now. All you need to do is..." The new heart started to explain.

"Open the door." Ventus finished what he needed to do. His heart, had suddenly gain its colour back, it featured a sleeping Ventus without his Wayward Wind at the Keyblade Graveyard. The inner circle of emblems contained a stylized fleur-de-lis, which appeared on the edges of the pillar.

* * *

Xehanort took one last look at Ventus, before starting to walk away. However, Ventus had turned over and was now raising his hand. Xehanort turned around to see Ventus with his hand in the air, before a flash of light appeared in his supposedly comatose boy's hand, summoning his Keyblade.

"A Keyblade?" Xehanort had to question what he was seeing. The Keyblade in Ventus' hand suddenly started glowing a golden colour, before shooting off a beam of light at the sky. Xehanort allowed a smirk to grace his features as he took this all in. Ventus eyes slowly opened as he looked at the sky.

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 12**

_As was to be expected, Ventus lacked the constitution for such an ordeal. I was able to remove the darkness inside him and create Vanitas, a heart of pure darkness, but Ventus drifted into the clutches of sleep._

_Ventus' heart of pure light and Vanitas' heart of pure darkness... If both could be made strong enough to one day clash, I knew the χ-blade would be forged._

_But Vanitas took too much of Ventus' heart, and from that fracture, I could see the last of Ventus' light was slipping away. The boy deserved a place to spend his final moments peacefully. And what should come to mind but my own boyhood home._

_My legs took me there unbidden, and as I stood there on the same beach where I had made my choice so many years ago, I thought: not a single thing has changed. Here, in this quiet world, time marches in place. Content that Ventus would find peace here, I started to walk away—but just then, the boy held up his Keyblade. The light within him had not died._

* * *

Sasuke's head snapped back towards Vanitas as he started to hold his chest, screaming in agony nearly losing consciousness instantly. The shell shocked Uchiha had no idea just what was going on, or what he was meant to be doing.

That was when Vanitas' features started changing before his very eyes.

Instead of the humanoid appearance that he had been when he was first born, Vanitas now looked just like a human being. He now also possessed golden-yellow eyes, jet-black hair and pale skin.

"Open... the... door..." Vanitas uttered, before losing consciousness.

Sasuke stared at Vanitas' unconscious form for a moment, before he picked up the new normal looking teenage boy, wondering what was going on with the dark side of Ventus.

* * *

Sasuke never mentioned to Xehanort just what had happened to Vanitas the day that Ventus had recovered from his ordeal. Not because he didn't see it as a necessity, but because he feared what would have happened to Vanitas if he had made a mention of it.

Ironically enough, he was put in charge of looking after Vanitas, much to his dismay. At first, he really didn't want to do so, but in the end, he had seen Vanitas' suffering and made a vow to try and stop it. It just reminded him far too much of what had happened to him when he was trying to get over the death of his parents.

As strange as it was to admit, Sasuke had started to see Vanitas as a little brother that he had needed to look after. Now, Sasuke had realized that looking after Vanitas was far more important that looking after Ventus, because he needed to make sure that Vanitas stopped hurting himself by killing off the creatures that came from him, the Unversed. Killing the Unversed caused Vanitas pain and suffering, and Sasuke wanted to stop that from happening.

* * *

"You're taking Ventus away?" Sasuke asked Xehanort in surprise. He was now 15 years old and looked rather different from where Xehanort had taken him on as his apprentice at their first meeting. He was now older, more mature and his black eyes had a tint of yellow within them, but not as obvious and Xehanort's or as Vanitas.

"You've obviously seen how Vanitas has been around the boy, it's not within our best interests to keep him here. You know this." Xehanort pointed out. It was true that Vanitas had been rather aggressive around Ventus. Their first meeting had consisted of Vanitas kicking Ventus until the other boy was barely conscious, whimpering in pain, which had done nothing more than piss off Vanitas even more.

The fact that it got so bad that Sasuke felt the need to intervene said everything. Sasuke didn't even like Ventus.

He was more concerned about Vanitas' mindset than anything else.

"I have, but I never would have expected you to be taking him away in the first place. I thought that you enjoyed watching Ventus and Vanitas suffer." Sasuke questioned his master.

"Oh I do, don't mistake that for anything else. It's rather that I've devised a brand new plan that requires them both to be in good condition. It's nothing more than that really." Of course, Xehanort didn't really do this for anything other than a plan that he had thought up. His plans to start up yet another Keyblade War. "If anything, this will work rather well for my plans, better than expected perhaps.

"Am I to know of the reason why this would be for the best?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow at his master, knowing full well that he may yet still be denied the knowledge that he desired. It was worth the risk really, the worst that Xehanort could do was refuse.

"The χ-blade. Together Ventus and Vanitas will form it and with it, we shall have our Keyblade War."

Ah, now Sasuke knew the true reason. Not that he particularly liked it.

* * *

In the Land of Departure's castle, there were three teenagers holding Keyblades, training. One of which was a tall young man with brown hair that reached to the base of his neck in the back and is styled into rather messy vertical spikes and bangs that framed his face. He had blue eyes and slightly tanned skin. This was Terra, and he was holding the Earthshaker Keyblade, a Keyblade that was best suited for those who specialized in Earth attacks.

The second was the only girl of the three, she had blue eyes and her hair was blue and short. She was was Aqua and she was holding the Rainfell Keyblade, a Keyblade best suited for those who favoured Water attacks.

The last of the group was a young man with spiky blond hair that was rather messy looking, he had bright blue eyes that was open to the world. His intentions clear to those that saw him. This was Naruto Uzumaki, and he was wielding a black Keyblade that had an appearance of a fiery fox more than anything else. The Keyblade that he named after his tenant, Kurama.

The three of them were Keyblade Masters-in-Training, taught by Master Eraqus. They were currently going through some practice swings as they tried to perfect their styles. Terra's being more to suit his strength, Aqua's to suit her elegance, while Naruto's seemed to be based more on being unpredictable, and forcing his opponent into a mistake because of the strangeness of his style of fight.

Suddenly the sounds of the great doors opening caught their attention, causing the three trainees to try and get a better look at what was happening. Two figures appeared, the old, fragile looking Xehanort, and the young, but somewhat emotionless looking Ventus. As Xehanort and Eraqus started to go to another location, so they could begin their discussion in full, they left Ventus behind.

"That boy - is he okay?" Aqua sounded concerned for the young boy.

"I'll go see." Terra offered, before he left to go downstairs. Naruto however, looked rather distraught, his eyes following Xehanort closely, studying him from afar. His muscles tensed, almost as if he was ready to attack.

_'Kurama, can you feel it?'_ Naruto asked the demon within him.

"**The darkness that is attached to him? Yes. No matter how much he tries to hide it, there is nothing that he can do to hide it from me. Negative emotions are something that never escape my notice.**" Kurama growled dangerously, to which Naruto nodded.

'_I thought as much, what do you think he's done to that kid?_' Naruto questioned, keeping an eye on Ventus as Terra went to greet him.

"**Attempt to turn him to darkness? Try to create a weapon out of the boy? Who's to say, all that we can say is that he's done something to him. It's rather startling really.**" Kurama confessed.

'_So what exactly did he do? He barely looks as though he's alive._' Naruto studied the boy from afar.

"**He has no darkness.**" Naruto barely stopped himself from choking on his spit. He of all people knew that there was no light without darkness. If this boy was a vessel without a single piece of darkness within him, then he was either a Princess of Heart, which he clearly wasn't, or he was incomplete, a broken vessel. Did something foreign invade his body and heal him or was he just a walking time bomb?

Was he a threat to everyone here because of Xehanort?

Ventus' scream broke Naruto out of his thoughts, and proceeded to jump down the balcony to see what was going on. Terra and Aqua were concerned by the reaction that the younger boy was giving off, but Naruto's appearance caused them both to jump in surprise.

"What's going on?" Naruto demanded from his friends, as he looked over Ventus carefully. He didn't know what he was meant to do in this situation, the only thing that he could think of was to hold the young boy protectively, to try and make sure that he was in a more comfortable position.

"We were just asking him some questions, and…" Terra grimaced, wondering what he did wrong, and what he did to cause such a reaction from Ventus.

"Ventus cannot tell you anything…" Eraqus interrupted their conversation, as he, along with Xehanort, made their way towards the group of four. "It is because he cannot remember anything." Naruto glanced towards Xehanort, as he cradled the young boy. There was something not quite right about this situation that much he knew, but he didn't know what he could do to prove it.

"**His darkness is the key. He has something planned. Be wary of him.**" Kurama warned his Jinchuriki, as he continued to make sure that Xehanort was kept in his sights. He trusted his partner, and when Kurama gave off a warning like that, Naruto knew that he would need to listen.

For his partner had not led him astray ever since they first teamed up all those years ago.

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 13**

_Ventus and Vanitas were not matched in power; I could not train them together, or Vanitas' darkness would gnaw away what little Ventus had left._

_Of course, since I needed a place where the boy's light might flourish, the answer was obvious: Eraqus, and his absolutes._

_Considering how we had parted ways, I expected friction—but if anything, Eraqus seemed delighted to see me again. He readily agreed to take care of Ventus. Now I need only wait for the boy's heart to get stronger._

_I had not visited this second home of mine for some time, and discovered Eraqus had already found three pupils of his own, one of which, much to my surprise was young Naruto, who I had been tempted to take with me several years ago, such is fate it seems. Within one of them, Terra, I sensed something. The boy, though well-intentioned, seeks power single-mindedly. And that kind of hunger is a seedbed for darkness._

_I had found my vessel._

* * *

"You seem pleased." Sasuke mused as he watched his master scheming away with eagerness. It was almost like he was almost ready to get things set in motion. After all, there was always something that the old man had in mind, plans within plans, manipulations awaiting them. Sasuke knew the old man's true nature better than anyone else, even better than the man's old friend, Eraqus.

"Soon Sasuke, everything will be in place. All I need to know is when the best time to strike will be." Xehanort told his student.

"And this time will be when?" Sasuke questioned the old man.

"When Eraqus' students Terra and Aqua finally become ready to take the Mark of Mastery. That is when we will begin." Xehanort announced, before he turned to his apprentice. "Of course, there was an apprentice of his that even I didn't expect to encounter, especially after what happened to your world."

"What?" Sasuke just stared blankly at his master.

"You remember one Naruto Uzumaki, do you not?" Xehanort took great pleasure in seeing the sheer shock that found its way onto Sasuke's face after hearing that name. He blinked numerous times before he finally found his voice.

"You have to be joking." Sasuke didn't even sound that convincing.

"Oh I'm not joking. His mere presence is a problem to my plans." Xehanort grimaced in annoyance. "I know all about that ability of his to sense darkness, and to someone like me, who has fuelled his body with the essence of darkness. Well, I'm practically a beacon for the boy to try and find, should he wish it." The old Keyblade Master gave his apprentice a look that spoke a thousand words. "You, will be the one to counter his presence that threatens my plans. He could threaten everything I have worked so hard to achieve."

"He's that dangerous?" Sasuke didn't sound like he believed his master. "What is it that make Naruto of all people so dangerous? How does he possess the power to seek out darkness as well as he does? There is surely no way that he could have obtained that naturally."

"Of course not." Xehanort observed Sasuke relaxing at his words. "He merely has a demonic fox imprisoned within him that helps him because perhaps my greatest threat."

Sasuke stared at his master for several long moments, before he sighed in frustration. Why couldn't things be simple anymore?

* * *

"You know, I still don't know why we at least didn't change Ventus' clothes." Naruto mused as he watched over Ventus with Aqua, who simply shrugged. She didn't particularly want to say anything on the matter, even if she was questioning the logic behind leaving Ventus in all of his clothes, shoes and all, on the spare bed.

"We're just making sure that Ventus wakes up Naruto." Aqua sighed. "Honestly, you've don't nothing but complained about that since we brought him up here."

"Aqua, it was a week ago. I'm almost certain that at this point we should have at least changed his clothes." Naruto offered rather cautiously.

"What clothes do we have?" Aqua gave Naruto a look. "You kept on burning your old clothes and Terra keeps on tearing his up in training." Naruto looked ready to say something. "We're not using Master Eraqus' old clothes." Naruto closed his mouth, looking somewhat disappointed with how quickly she shot down his idea.

"Well it's better than letting him reuse the same clothing all the time, he'll probably smell right now." Naruto muttered. Seriously, why could nobody see anything wrong with this but him? It was almost like this was some lazy editing from some programmers who were making a game or something stupid, but couldn't surely be the case, could it?

They suddenly heard movement from the bed and spotted Ventus, the subject of their discussion, waking and sitting up on his bed, his eyes still lacking the light in them. Naruto and Aqua were delighted to see some recovery at least.

"It's a miracle!" Aqua quickly made her way out of the bedroom. "Terra! Master Eraqus! Ventus is awake!" Terra quickly made his way towards the room, and gave a sigh of relief as witnessed the miracle for himself.

Naruto only gave a small smile, happy that the young boy was hopefully on the road to recovery. '_Now_,' Naruto thought as he watched Ventus take in his surroundings, '_all we need is for Ventus to be cured from the problem with his heart, and he'll be a good addition to our group._'

"**You never change brat, always looking out for those other than yourself. Never change Naruto.**"

* * *

Vanitas screamed as he destroyed another unversed, he could feel the power and emotions of the creature flooding back into him. The sheer agony that it caused him twisted his mind beyond control. Another unversed appeared, and within seconds it was destroyed, causing another scream to rip through his throat.

"Enough." Sasuke made his way towards the creator of the Unversed, who snarled at him, before trying to attack the old of the two. Sasuke easily deflected the attack with his own Keyblade, and sent the boy crashing to the ground. "Get a hold of yourself. This is just pathetic." Sasuke sneered in disgust. "How are we meant to achieve anything when you can't do anything other than cause yourself harm like a mindless animal?!"

Vanitas just ignored Sasuke's words, and charged without care. He found himself on his back once again, only this time Sasuke's grasp around his throat pinned him there. Though this time there wasn't anger in Sasuke's eyes, only sadness, remorse.

"It's so painful to watch you like this… so painful. It almost makes me wonder… could I have ended up like you. A creature… no… a human who has no goal in mind other than hurt the one he knows best. Am I really someone who could have been capable of doing something like that? Even if it meant avenging my clan?" Sasuke found himself speaking out loud, while Vanitas' struggles weaken, not due to lack of air, but out of curiosity. Almost like he was confused by what Sasuke was saying.

"I pity you, I really do. Xehanort has damaged you beyond what is acceptable. This must stop." Sasuke stared at the being of darkness. "I will make sure that there is at least one person that is willing to save you, Vanitas."

It was the least Sasuke could do to ease his concerns for the boy. He felt sick every time he watched Vanitas cause himself more harm simply because he couldn't control his powers, his anger. It sickened him, and this was why Sasuke would help the creature that was made purely out of darkness.

Even if he didn't want to be saved, it didn't mean that Sasuke couldn't at least try to.

* * *

"You are now officially a Keyblade Master, congratulations Naruto." He stared at the man who was presenting him his new title, Eraqus, with an emotionless look. What did he really achieve by gaining this rank he wondered, did he feel a sense of accomplishment? He couldn't tell.

"Congratulations Naruto! You did great." His fellow students made their way to him, Ventus looking more cheery than he could remember, perhaps just that happen to see his friend passing the Mark of Mastery. Terra had a determined look on his face, while Aqua looked delighted by his achievement.

"Don't leave me being the only Master for long, it'll get boring if you don't catch up to me soon." Naruto smirked at his friends, which caused Terra to grin.

"Do you worry about that, I'll catch up to you in no time. That much you can count on." Terra offered a challenge to his fellow student, who couldn't help but grin back.

"All of you, get strong quickly, so we may travel the worlds together and maintain the balance of the worlds. I'll need your help after all." Naruto turned to face Eraqus, who looked proud of his student. "The more of us that graduates, the stronger the defence gets, am I right?"

"That you are Naruto." Eraqus agreed. "First though, I must take you through the proceedings of giving you the knowledge that Keyblade Master may know. The rest of you, please continue your training while I take Naruto to where he'll learn the information that only a Keyblade Master may learn."

"You didn't have to word it like that Master," Naruto sighed, before he spared his friends a look. "We'll always be friends, got that? If you need me, all you need to do is call me."

* * *

"It is time." Xehanort called to Sasuke, with a piece of paper in hand. Sasuke kept his eyes on Vanitas, as the being of darkness continued to make more unversed. He didn't destroy the creatures nowadays, he mostly controlled them to do his bidding, like an unlimited army that was at his command. "Eraqus has told me that his two students, Terra and Aqua, will be taking the Mark of Mastery soon, this will be the perfect time to start our plans."

"I take it your lapdog on Radiant Garden will be following your orders as well then?" Sasuke sneered in annoyance. It wasn't the fact that there was someone like Braig that was willing to help Xehanort that annoyed him, it was the fact that there was someone that was dumb enough to believe all the stories that Xehanort had to tell, of that one infinite darkness that would rule over all. The things that the old man was willing to do in order to get the χ-blade annoyed him to no end.

"Are you still so frustrated by my manipulations Sasuke? Surely you're not so insecure about your strength as a Keyblade Master are you?" Xehanort taunted his first apprentice. Sasuke turned sharply, glaring furiously at his master, his eyes Sharingan red. "After all I do to toughen you up so you can kill your brother, and this is how you repay me? Dear me Sasuke, I hope all of your family wasn't as ungrateful as you are."

"The only reason I'm not killing you right now is because-"

"You can't find Itachi? You know that he survived when your world was consumed by darkness. You can feel him, but you can't find him. Without my help, you'll just be blindly chasing shadows like a fool without a care in a world." Xehanort smirked at him. "All you need to do is help me gain the χ-blade, by making sure that Naruto doesn't interfere with my plans, and you will find your older brother. That's all you need to do."

"What will happen to Vanitas when the χ-blade is created?"

"Sasuke, you know the answer as well as I do." Xehanort told him. "He will disappear forever once he merges with Ventus, you of all people should know my plans better than anyone. After all, your part is key to it being successful."

"…" Sasuke turned towards Vanitas, who was ordering his Unversed around keenly, trying to find the limits of his power over them. "I know."

'_I will stop them from succeeding, just so I can keep Vanitas from fading away for good._'

* * *

**Xehanort's Report 14**

_The time has come. I have received word from Eraqus that his pupils are to become true Keyblade Masters. Terra and Aqua... They will be easy now to lure into the outside world. But Ventus! I will get nowhere without him._

_Vanitas can feel some of what Ventus feels, and he says Terra is the key. Ventus has loved Terra like a real brother ever since he let him keep his old wooden Keyblade. It seems we have found a loose thread at which we can tug to unravel Ventus' heart._

_The first step is to get Terra alone; then we need to plant the seeds of doubt in Ventus. Let him carry his faint light as he chases his brother into the darkness._

_Let the darkness make his light stronger, then let the light deepen the darkness. And where the two finally meet is where the stuff of legends will become real._

_However, there is Naruto, who is already a Keyblade Master, something needs to be done to stop him from interfering in my plans, and that is what Sasuke is for. Sasuke will intercept Naruto and force the other Keyblade Master to turn his attention elsewhere from us. However, I have been questioning about Sasuke's loyalty as of late and won't be surprised if he turns on me for his own ambitions. No matter, I have something planned for him if he does so._

_You can never truly be too careful after all._

* * *

**I think I got the characters out of character more often than not...**

**Oh well, doesn't matter. Let me know what you think so far and what I should improve on. I'm always looking to improve.**

**Random fact, this took me 14 months to write, despite how simple it should have been to write.**

**Until next time, goodbye and goodnight.**


End file.
